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Heart & Soul: teens, music and God |
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Written by and photos by MATTHEW SIEFERT
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Tuesday, 15 June 2004 |
On a Saturday night in May, I was fortunate enough to make my way down East Rand Road in Mount Prospect, Ill., to Heart & Soul Café. As I arrived I noticed a sea of cars parked in the lots and in the grass surrounding the small venue. This is not out of the ordinary.
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Heart & Soul Café
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1655 S. Arlington Heights Road
Arlington Heights, IL
(847) 506-1024
www.souledout.net
Souled Out is at 8 p.m. Saturday nights
Heart and Soul Fellowship is at 10 a.m. Sundays.
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To some, the Heart & Soul Café may be seen as an enigma. For an outsider it may seem an unusual place to host concerts, a coffee house, or a church – not only because of its minute size but also its location. Even more unique is that Heart & Soul is largely populated and led by teenagers.
To others – those who are involved – Heart & Soul is home. Young people come from the suburbs of Chicago and from around the world to gather together on weekends for Souled Out Saturday Night.
Heart & Soul is home of Souled Out Ministries, a nonprofit youth church that has become famous for reaching out to the despised, forgotten and rejected. This June marks Heart & Soul's 10th anniversary as a church.
"It's been 10 years," said co-founder Cathi Basler, with the much delight. "I can hardly believe it." Cathi (better known as Mrs. B) and her husband Ed (Mr. Ed) founded Heart & Soul in 1994 with the specific purpose of reaching out to young people.
The atmosphere at Souled Out services is nothing short of inspiring. Hundreds of students come out every Saturday night to learn, worship, grow in authentic community, and pray for their generation. Led by their peers, a band of skilled musicians playing loud, artistic rock music, the place ignites song after song as you hear hundreds of voices singing. While worship is an important part of what goes on at Souled Out, adult leaders also encourage students to share with their peers about their lives and the Bible.
Souled Out has also had a heart for those around the world ranging from Israel, Denmark, Africa and more. Each summer, as many as a 200 students travel overseas to minister and help areas of the world in need.
"They have really made a difference around the world," Cathi said.
Souled Out has been a help domestically as well. In addition to Souled Out on Saturday nights, Heart & Soul also hosts small groups that meet in houses in the surrounding suburban area. On Sunday mornings, adults meet for Heart & Soul Church at the café. During the week it's open for prayer and Bible studies.
Besides being a church, Heart & Soul Café has been a place welcome to anyone, with its coffee house nights and concerts. In years past, Heart & Soul, like Chicago's Fireside Bowl, has served as host to some of the most underrated shows in the Chicago area.
Souled Out Ministries is growing faster than ever. By September, it plans to move to a larger facility. In any event, the last 10 years have been a special time for those who have come in contact with Heart & Soul.
With growing numbers and a bright future ahead, when asked what he has been most pleased with over the last 10 years, co-founder Ed Basler plainly responded, "Hundreds and hundreds of lives have been changed."|
a friend
Written by Guest on 2007-01-01 12:17:54
Wow! You are good writer. I enjoyed reading your info here.
Thanks
Mike S. |
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